Posts Tagged ‘elearning’

I have to confess that even though I’m passionate about making training stick and I know that actions I take before and after I conduct training will make a difference, like most of you sometimes I get caught up in the next course design or facilitation and (gulp) I forget about trainees in the classes I’ve finished, or the ones I am going to be doing soon.

This is why I’m very excited about several new technologies that have recently become available to help trainers reach out and connect with trainees before and after training to reinforce the learning and boost on-the-job application.

I began drafting a Sticky Note about these new technologies but I soon realized that there was too much information to share in a short newsletter. So I wrote a white paper. This white paper describes how each technology works and also provides suggestions for using each technology to create before- and after-training transfer techniques based on my research. I met with representatives of the companies at trade shows (most of them were at ASTD’s International Conference and Expo), I participated in a demo at a later date, I visited their websites, and I asked each of them to review the white paper for accuracy. I do not own or have any financial interest in any of these technologies. While I plan to try and use them as opportunities arise,I report objectively on each of these technologies.

These new tools make it easy to provide before- and after-training touch points because messaging and interactions can be designed and developed during design and delivery when it is top of mind for the trainer, while the messaging and interactions can be delivered at points when they will be most effective for the trainees, which is before and after participation in live training and/or self-paced elearning.

The technologies:

Raptivity. High tech interactive templates for content reinforcement and application scenarios that can be inserted into most live training applications such as PowerPoint and into elearning platforms such as Articulate and Captivate. New white paper on use for elearning.

We Achieve. Cloud-based crowdsourcing application that can be used before and after training to engage and motivate learners and to build community. New article in Training Magazine.

ResultsEngine. Cloud-based tracking and support for end-of-training goals and action plans. Interactive assistance includes coaching requests, suggestions for revising goals, and detailed accountability and tracking.

Keep in mind that with each of these technologies it’s important to have well-written training objectives that specify end-of-class skills and behaviors and sticky objectives that specify on the job application of them. Without these, no technology is going to be effective in helping to make training stick®.

I’m just back from ASTD’s TechKnowledge conference in San Jose – great conference and I’m pleased to say that my session on Making E-learning Stick was well received. I found a couple of great new training transfer resources that I’ll share in a future newsletter, but in this newsletter I want to respond to a question that several trainers at the conference asked me:

Should I get certified?

Elearning! magazine did a survey last year on this topic and here are the results:

89% of the HR and Learning and Development professionals surveyed said that a certification was important during the hiring process, and 92% said if two candidates had equivalent experience they would hire the person with a certification.

93% said that an individual with a certification credential would earn more money.

93% said it was important for a certification credential to be “portable”….that is, not industry-specific, so it would be useful to them regardless of industry or specific company.

That’s pretty impressive!

The next question of course is which certification is best? This of course depends on your specific goals. The ASTD CPLP certification is a rigorous, multi-faceted experience that includes study materials and requires testing as well as submission of work samples. The cost depends on whether or not you are a member of ASTD National. www.astd.org/Certification

Interestingly, few certifications except Making E-Learning Stick™ in the learning and development field address learning transfer!

What’s the difference between certification and a certificate program? Certification is a demonstration of knowledge and competence. The participant needs to demonstrate in some way – test, work sample, implementation plan, etc. – their learning. On the other hand, a certificate simply indicates you have taken the class or series of classes. If you want the career advantages mentioned in the survey, get certified, don’t just take a certificate program.

Over 900 people signed up for my ASTD webinar on Making E-Learning Stick last month. This is a good indication that there’s a lot of interest in learning transfer, including but not limited to the transfer of technology-supported training. Leaders in organizations focus on results, and the learning and development or HR professional who can show through a certification that they understand how to transfer training into business results, will likely get the nod when it comes to promotion, choice assignments, and new jobs.

Once upon a time at the North Pole, Santa was having challenges managing the elves. His authoritative leadership style wasn’t working as well as it had in the past. He knew he needed to learn new management skills but he couldn’t just get in his sleigh and go to a leadership workshop. His magic sleigh only operates on Christmas Eve, and besides he couldn’t leave his workshop to go to a training program.

Santa did some browser searches and signed up for e-learning courses on Situational Elf Leadership and Managing Special Workers. Mrs. Claus got interested in e-learning too, and she found e-learning courses on Healthy Cookie Baking (she and Santa are trying to eat healthy and get their weight down) and Using Electronic Kitchen Appliances at the North Magnetic Pole.

Santa and Mrs. Claus signed into their e-learning courses regularly. Santa learned about new techniques and strategies for managing the elves. Mrs. Claus got recipes and learned how to bake cookies with less fat and sugar, and how to use her food processor in the single magnetic field at the North Pole. They both passed the end-of-module quizzes, and received certificates when they completed courses.

But the elves still complained that Santa was micromanaging them and not allowing them to participate in toy-making decisions. And Mrs. Claus still found herself over-dipping into the sugar and chopping nuts and raisins by hand instead of using her food processor.

Their e-learning didn’t stick! What to do? They searched the internet for help and found a copy of the book Making E-Learning Stick. They learned some Techniques to Integrate Education (TIEs) for reinforcing their own learning. They also found some techniques Rudolph could use to design e-learning for the elves. In just a short time Santa and Mrs. Claus began using what they had learned. The elves were happier and more productive, and Santa and Mrs. Claus enjoyed better, healthier cooking.

And they learned happily ever after!

My best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season and a happy and prosperous New Year!